Sandra Klein: Noisy Brain

Sandra Klein: Noisy Brain by Aline SmithsonMay 18, 2017

©Sandra Klein, Life is a Rain Moth Sewn Archival Pigment Print

I’m always amazed at how an artist will turn life into art, and even more so when they use their own reflections as a way to talk about the world. Artist/photographer Sandra Klein is a master at making work that is personal, and yet universal. Her newest project, Noisy Brain, recently seen at Photolucida, takes us through a series of silhouetted portraits that allow the artist to consider how her active brain works. In a era of over stimulation and the hyper fast processing of information, these constructed portraits speak of obsessions and anxiety, but they also reflect the miracle and beauty of the mind. Sandra uses the camera as a tool to create her art–the work is further enhanced by sewing onto the prints, sometimes with the addition of delicate objects such as crystals, and ephemera added through collage. Her use of color and composition combine to create a stunning pageant of the self.

©Sandra Klein, Creative Growth, Sewn Archival Pigment Print

Artist Sandra Klein was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey and received her BFA from from Tyler School of Fine Arts in Philadelphia,PA and an MA in printmaking from San Diego State University. After working as a teacher, her art career moved from printmaking into mixed media and fine art photography. Her practice involves conceptual imagery that explores memory and personal narratives.

Her layered, often three dimensional photographs have been shown across the United States in venues such as the Center of Fine Art Photography in Colorado, Candela Gallery, in Virginia, A Smith Gallery in Texas, Tilt Gallery in Arizona, Southeast Center of Photography in North Carolina and Building Bridges, Arena 1 Gallery and the Los Angeles Center of Photography in Los Angeles. Her work has been featured on Lenscratch, A Photo Editor, and in Diffusion Magazines, and is held in public collections. In October of 2017, Sandra will have a solo exhibition at the Griffin Museum of Photography in Boston, MA. She lives and works in Los Angeles.

©Sanda Klein, Blue Ice, Sewn Archival Pigment Print with Crystals

Noisy Brain

I have what I call a noisy brain. I sometimes consider this quality a gift, and other times a burden, as I am constantly analyzing the world around me. Using self-portraiture to examine the layers of my obsessions and anxieties, these constructed photographs provide insight into elements that affect my 21st century brain.

Over the years, I have visited many cultures where people believe they have little control over their lives. They pray to deities for luck and happiness in life. I believe, that although we each carry genetic material that affects who we become, we have a great deal of impact on our own lives. I am especially interested in how such issues as creativity, aging, gender and memories determine who we are and who we become.

While focusing on myself, I seek to understand the universal mind. As I watch my mother experience dementia, I am stunned by the changes in the aging brain. In creating a narrative that focuses on layers of thinking, I ponder the noises that are yet to come.